Cyber Attack blazes into Golden State Million
Cyber Attack emerged from a second-place finish in the $1 million Rainbow Futurity at Ruidoso Downs in July with a grabbed quarter that prevented a start in time trials for the All American Futurity in August.
The time off led to a trip to California, where Cyber Attack will be favored to win Sunday’s $1,060,250 Golden State Million at 400 yards at Los Alamitos.
Trained by Chris O’Dell for Connie Rosenthal, Cyber Attack set the fastest qualifying time of 19.60 seconds in trials for the Golden State Million on Oct. 9.
Cyber Attack pulled clear to win by a sharp 2 1/4 lengths over Political Royalty, who ran well enough in defeat to earn a berth in the final.
The layoff in late summer and early fall did not affect Cyber Attack, who won for second time in his fourth start on Oct. 9.
“I’ve been trying to grow out his foot a little bit,” O’Dell told Los Alamitos publicity after the trials. “It takes time to get that done.
“We’ve just been trying to manage him correctly.”
In the Golden State Million, Cyber Attack will be ridden by Eduardo Nicasio and breaks from post 4 in a field of 10.
His two main rivals – Jeriko and Party Politics – start from the inside and outside posts.
Jeriko, trained by Heath Taylor, won a trial in 19.70, drawing away by 2 1/2 lengths in his first start since a win in a division of the All American Futurity trials on Aug. 19.
Jeriko had the sixth-fastest qualifying time in the All American trials that day, but only the five fastest times advanced to the $3 million final. Jeriko was eligible to start in the $200,000 All American Juvenile on Sept. 5, but was not entered.
Party Politics is the most accomplished 2-year-old at Los Alamitos this year. He won the Ed Burke Million Futurity on June 19 and did not race again until the Golden State Million Futurity trials, winning by a half-length in 19.96.
Trained by Juan Aleman, Party Politics had the eighth-fastest qualifying time and will need to be sharper to beat Cyber Attack and Jeriko.
The field includes Temple Court, a full sister to Cyber Attack who races for owner and breeder Steve Burns and trainer Mike Casselman. Temple Court was a trial race winner in 19.93.
Temple Court and Cyber Attack are by Favorite Cartel and are out of the star Quarter Horse mare Remember Me Rose. They were bred via embryo transfer.
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